Routine in Ruins
by SirenMist
Summary: ::Oneshot expanded, Messing with Valentine:: Routine is something Vincent and Yuffie pride themselves on, a way of creating certainty after living through such unpredictable times. If they have no routine, they have nothing at all. And the night Yuffie breaks this, Vincent is at a loss as to how or why this has happened... Her motives? Well, they're interesting indeed! Yuffentine


**This is actually a chapter in my drabble collection from _Messing with Valentine_ (chapter 58), but I don't know, it kind of felt like a humorous enough story that was long enough to go ahead and publish as a oneshot as well? Not sure. In any case, I'm doing it. I hope all of you enjoy (whoever is still out there in the Yuffentine community now that it's practically dead)! I'm going to adjust some of it so it's more oneshot like than drabblish.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own FF. Unfortunately.**

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The gunslinger's arms were like heaven around her, a tight embrace that cushioned her body and kept it comfortably warm during in their cold manor. When had it become _their_ manor, neither could really say. Perhaps all of those months ago when her visits stopped being visits, when she wound up a perpetual presence, when she found herself in the man's bed with his hands on her body and her bubblegum flavored chapstick on his tongue.

No matter how it happened, it did. And Vincent didn't fight it, not with Chaos gone, not with the world at peace, not with Lucrecia behind him. Why should he fight an attraction to a beautiful and wild woman who was just as attracted to him? He would have been silly to do so. This was living, he reminded himself.

And living with Yuffie was... well... a strange pleasure.

She never bothered with extra blankets, even in Winter. Always one to wear little to nothing, she would simply slip out of every article of clothing on her skin, insist the ex-Turk do the same, and then worm her way between his body and the mattress until their combined heat thawed her shivering limbs. Vincent often remarked that this was ridiculous and illogical, but he always accompanied the statement with a soft half-smile and obeyed his ninja's directives. This naturally led to compromising situations, not that either was complaining. Granted, there was a great deal of moaning and groaning involved- but certainly not of the negative nature.

Tonight, however, had been even stranger than any other, Vincent noted.

This was the first time Yuffie dove beneath the sheets with her underwear still on, and Vincent was taken aback. Had he done something to upset her? This was not their routine at all... Did she not want him close? Did she find him boring? Had she found someone else she preferred?

His betrayal-addled brain seemed to agree with all of those paranoid questions. It even suggested a few more. Clearly Yuffie had something against him tonight, to have broken their romantic-albeit ridiculous and illogical-consistency. The question was, whatever did he do to spur such an odd situation? This was rather troubling for the gunslinger.

Vincent was even quieter than usual when he slipped into bed, a loose cotton shirt and a pair of silk pajama pants on that he hadn't worn in over four months. Nursing his wounded heart, he turned his back and faced away from Yuffie, letting his eyes close even though he knew he would not sleep easy that night. How could he possibly sleep easy without Yuffie's bare skin against his own and the heat of her frame nestled against his chest?

When the Wutain flower spoke, her voice was small and cautious, nearly trembling as she leaned over his body and wrapped her arms tightly around herself. "U-um... Vinnie?"

He had not expected her to speak to him tonight, and as such, was unprepared to form any sort of answer beyond a noncommittal, "Hn?"

It was Yuffie's turn to be taken aback. Her dark eyes widened in surprise then flashed with trouble, but he missed the apprehension on her face entirely.

"A-are you...um... is everything okay?" Little fingers that were mostly good for pickpocketing slipped around his upper arm and tugged gently. Vincent huffed against his pillow and turned over onto his back to look up at the wary ninja. She was asking if _he_ were okay? Narrowed vermilion eyes took a moment to grudgingly assess her current state of dress (no matter how petty that made him) before snapping back up to meet her eyes.

"I'm not sure, Yuffie, is it?"

His answer made her breath catch, and little drops of emotion could be seen on her lashes. She caught her quivering bottom lip between her teeth, seeming to hold back tears. A sigh escaped Vincent's lips. There had been no intention to upset the girl, even if she was the one who had instigated this... what even was it? A fight? No, not quite...

Tears had fallen from his ninja... Each little wet crystal made him wince to see, knowing Yuffie hardly ever cried unless she felt that someone she loved had turned against her. To appease his lover, the gunman sat up and wiped away a tear with the pad of his thumb, sighing once more. "I... I apologize. That wasn't necessary..."

Now that he had openly addressed the tension between the both of them and his own harshness towards her, Yuffie burst into hiccuping wails, and Vincent's crimson eyes widened at the scene. Cursing himself, he wrapped his arms around the ninja and rocked her sobbing form, his hand petting her hair soothingly. But damn, if he didn't hurt every woman he loved...

"I-I-I don't know! I don't know what I d-did, Vin-Vincent!"

Her use of his full fist name unsettled him, and he pulled back to lovingly kiss her forehead. Anything to reassure her. Anything to remind her that he loved her so. "Shh... It's alright... Don't cry, little rose..." She sniffled at his words and lowered her gaze to their thin sheets, feeling absolutely punished by him and withering beneath his gaze.

"Why... Why w-won't you hold me?"

Vincent frowned at her question. Was he supposed to after what she had done? "You did not seem to wish for my... hmm... affections?" His lips pinched as though the word were not quite what he was looking for.

"What?" she stammered in seeming confusion.

A blush rose on the man's cheeks. How would he explain his embarrassment and hurt at her breaking their routine? Outwardly, it was such a simple thing, going to bed dressed. But this... This was their routine. Neither dared to break routine in their lives. It was what made them _them._ And if one were to break that routine, it was to make a statement. He just... didn't know what that statement was.

"Your clothes, Yuffie... You simply went to bed with... um... with them still on... and you didn't give any reason... I had thought you were trying to indicate that you did not wish for me to impose my presence..." His head tilted, obsidian tresses falling into his brooding ruby eyes.

Now Yuffie blushed, and her tears all but dried up immediately. Then, in such a manner that Vincent was compelled to frown in irritation at her, she began to gasp for breaths in between vivacious laughter, shoulders shaking as she fell back to the sheets and giggled in fits. This, thought Vincent, was not a funny matter at all. He did not find a single thing amusing about her brushing him off, and that she _did_ , he couldn't help but feel insulted. Growling, he rolled back over to face away from her once more, much more hurt than when she first even went to bed.

The laughter quieted.

"Vince..." Yuffie began tenderly, wrapping her arms around him just as he usually would to she, "Babe... I'm not upset at you... Look at me, please?" Her voice was so tender and endearing that he slowly did as she said. She awarded him with an utterly adoring smile. "I'm out of tampons. I couldn't go to bed without underwear because I'm having to wear a pad."

Well. He had certainly made a fool of himself.

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 **o.o so that happened**

 **Please let me know what you thought!**


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